Watch the Skies for Geminids Meteors

An 18 minute Composite of The Gemind Meteor Shower over Sussex, New Jersey in 2012. image: flickr creative commons/jason jenkins

The skies add a spark of holiday cheer this week. The Geminids Meteors showers began Dec. 4 but peak this week between Dec. 13 and 14. One of the most spectacular meteor showers to take place this year, expect to see as many as 120 meteors in an hour during the peak.

Geminids are visible to the naked eye, just look up after sunset on Dec. 13 and 14. For best viewing though, look for the showers around 2am and give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness.

The Geminids meteor showers occur when Earth comes into the orbital path of a a debris trail from the asteroid, 3200 Phaethon. Discovered in 1983, the asteroid gets its name from the ancient Greek mythology, where Helios, driver of the sun chariot, lets his son Phaethon drive the chariot but gets too close to the sun.